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Sai Vichaar 
www.saibaba.orgThursday , May 07, 2009 :: Volume 11, Issue 52(In its eleventh year of publication.)Sai Vichaar is a Weekly newsletter distributed every Thursday and is devoted to thelife, philosophy and teachings of Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi. Feel free to forward thisnewsletter to your interested associates in its original form. Please do not reply to thisemail. All replies will be ignored. To contact us please see information at the bottom of this newsletter.IN THIS ISSUE:
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FEATURE OF THE WEEK 
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CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE
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DEVOTEES SAY
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PRAYER CLUB
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EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES
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QUOTATION OF THE WEEK 
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QUESTION OF THE WEEK 
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SAI ACTIVITIES
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FROM THE EDITORS KEYBOARD FEATURE OF THE WEEK: Inwardly the SameIf Sai Baba was a Sufi saint, one may ask, how is it that he has been so readilyinterpreted and embraced by the Hindu community? Deccani Sufism with its poet-saints has similarities with the strong devotional heritage of the Bhakthi movement of Central India. Echoing the devotional goal of God-realization of both the Sufis and the bhakthas, which the former call ma'rifa and the latter brahmavilasa. Sai Baba said,"reaching God is the aim". Although the eleventh-century Muslim scholar, Alberuni,visiting India declared, 'The Hindus entirely differ from us in every respect', at themystic and devotional bhakthi level there is a fundamental similarity of thought and practice, and indeed they share the same goal to have a direct experience of God. Their inner experiences tally closely, although externally they may appear very different - intheir customs, languages, rituals, and appearance. In climbing to the top of spiritualmountain, it can be said that the Sufis take a direct structured route with formal waystations, where as the bhakthas take a more informal, gentler path, but both eventuallyreaching the summit. Once a bhaktha is able to transcend the boundaries of his formalreligion, he enters into a state common to all mystics. The Sufi goes beyond theMuslim law (shar'at) and is preoccupied with the way to enable him to experience(tariqat) the ultimate reality (ma'rifa). The poet saints were also intent on proclaimingthrough their poetic outpourings how to reach God-realization, placing great stress onsaying the name of God (namasmarana), a practice which the Sufis also embrace(dhikr). Essentially they are no different.
 
(Courtesy: "Unravelling the Enigma, Shirdi Sai Baba in the Light of Sufism" byMarianne Warren)
 CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: Origin and Approval of Sai Naama JapaBaba told M B Rege to go and be with Ramakrishni, also known as Ayi who was a realmother to him. She loved him as if he was her own son. Baba sent her one roti to her as prasad, and he sent two rotis on the days when Rege was at Shirdi. This Ayi haddedicated her love and all to Baba. She lived only for Sai Baba, and her delight was todo everything he wanted or what was needed for his sansthan. So, she had plenty of work to get done for Baba, and people like Rege, Purandhare and others wereconstantly given this Dasya Seva by her, for Baba. But Seva was not the only item or step for his religious improvement. Being fairly advanced, Ayi had developed certain powers in addition to her bhakti. Her concentration had evidently produced results.Her concentration was helped very much by her command of music. She had a goodvoice and could play the sitar. Rege also had a good voice and was versed in music.They would compare notes and they agreed that, for their spiritual progress, secrecyabout their efforts was necessary. So, they would compare notes, made resolutions, andkept them secret.In accordance with Kabir's motto, 'Jinne Kamaya Unne Chupaya' what one has gained,he conceals, they both agreed that songs and hymns were very good for increasing bhava. Yet for actual manolaya, they attracted too much attention of the outside publicand, therefore did not suit them. So, they determined that the proper step for manaolaya, was Japa. And what Japa should they make? She said that many used thename of Ram, Vittal and that so far as she was concerned Sai was her God. So, Sai wasquite sufficient for her. Rege naturally adopted the same. So, they went on making Sainama japa and, luckily for Rege, Baba asked him soon afterwards what he had beendoing in the morning. He answered Japa.Baba: Japa of what name?Rege: of my God.Baba: What is your God?Rege: You know it.Baba: That is all right.So, Sai Nama Japa was approved from the very beginning by Sai Baba also. Japa is asadhana. What is the sadhya or goal then? For this again, they gained light from Baba.The goal was patent from everything that Baba said and did. The goal was that throughlaya to reach God, especially in the form of the loving Guru-God; and intense and passionate love was alike the sadhana and sadhya. For love at its perfection is Bliss andBliss is God. Baba's wonderful love stamped its impress upon both Ayi and him. Their sadhya and sadhana were love.About sadhana, Baba gave him a hint. Religious books are generally regarded as veryimportant sadhana for the beginner. On Guru Poornima day, the devotees usually go toBaba, and place a book in his hands, so that they might get it back with his Ashirvadaand that they might study it with profit and benefit.
 
On one Guru Poornima day, all had taken books. Rege was there. He had not taken any book. Then Baba looking at him and said, "These people want to find God, that isBrahma in these books. There is however Bhramh, that is, worldly confusion or delusion in these books. You are all right. Do not read books. But keep me in your heartand if you unify or harmonize head and heart, that is enough'.Of course, study of books is not very useful and Baba recommended Jnaneswari. Herecommended these He also made Chandorkar read the ruled out. On the other hand,religious study is Eknath's Bhagavata, Bhavarta Ramayana and to Kaka Dixit, B.V.Dev, Chandorkar and others. Bhagavad Gita. But on the whole the usual tendency toover emphasize the need of books was discountenanced by Baba. The Guru is the onlysadhana of the pupil in Baba's school, and the Guru's knowledge and power sink intothe sishya by the intensity of faith and love of the sishya. For that purpose, to promotefaith and love, Baba gave ample and almost perpetual proof of his omniscience,omnipresence and other divine qualities. So, Rege was getting constant proof of thesequalities and love from Baba.
(Contributed by Madhuri; Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji)
 DEVOTEES SAY:
 Nirmala
I have been blessed with twin girls all by the grace of Sai3 nights before one of thegirls was not feeling well at all and was crying endlessly. She was not even able to breathe properly. I was scared and prayed to Sai. Sai heard my prayers and she wasfeeling better the next day..Thank you dear Sai..If you did not put your hand on me, Iwould have been nowhere today..Thank you. Please be with me always
 Jyothi 
With your blessings, my dad bypass surgery was successful. You are always there for us. Please make him recover soon. Please continue your grace on us and always bewith us.
Usha N 
Thank you Baba for answering my prayers about my sister. As I promised, I visitedShirdi, completed reading of Sat Sai Charit and now I am posting this
 Bhanuprakash
Thank you Baba for blessing us with a beautiful baby boy and we have named him asYajnesh. Because of you, only the delivery was smooth even though my wife had afibroid. I pray to You to always be with us, shower your blessings on the little kid too, be with him always, and show him the right path. Thanks once again Baba..
Yash
Thank you Sai for curing my nephew in just few days that was actually expected totake a longer and thank you for giving me an amazing daughter. Keeps me wonder struck seeing your creation.PRAYER CLUB:
 Sharma
Please save me now also Sai Baba. Please see that marriage should go well and all our 
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